Williams: Ayton ‘looks unbelievable’
Deandre Ayton has been playing his share of NBA2K while in the Orlando bubble.
No surprise there.
That’s what he does, but Ayton is looking to partake in something that’ll be a sight to see on Walt Disney World Resort.
“Definitely fishing,” Ayton said. “Definitely fishing.”
Ayton has looked the part of a basketball player gearing up to make a statement in the NBA restart as the Suns concluded their third day of practice Saturday.
“His body looks unbelievable,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “He’s a gifted young man in that way. I wish I had that, you know what I mean. He looks great. He’s done a really good job of taking care of himself.”
Williams mentioned after Friday’s practice how the players, particularly Devin Booker and Ayton, are communicating more than he noticed at training camp last year in Flagstaff.
That shouldn’t be a surprise because nearly a whole season had passed before it was put on hold March 11 after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Ayton only played 30 games as he was suspended for 25 and missed 10 due to injuries, but was able to practice all season.
Still, Ayton appears to be ahead of schedule and is establishing a vital role as the Suns (26-39) play the first of their eight regular-season “seedings” games July 31 against Washington (24-40) at
Suns center Deandre Ayton: “It’s me understanding and finding what’s available and being a playmaker.”
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
“I feel like I’m in my damn, I don’t know, third or fourth year, and I know what I’m doing now,” Ayton said. “It’s not really me being told what to do. It’s me understanding and finding what’s available and being a playmaker. Book and Coach seen it so we just collaborate our differences and make things happen. Whatever is best for the team.”
As a team, Phoenix, led by Ayton, looks the part physically.
“(Suns strength and conditioning coach Cory Schlesinger) sent a ton of workouts to all our guys,” Williams said.
“And maybe because we’re so young, and genetically gifted, a lot of our guys look really, really, good, and DA is certainly at the top of that list.”
Williams is confident Ayton’s conditioning will get better after putting the endurance of the team to the test Saturday.
“It’s real training camp over here to be honest,” Ayton said.
Very real.
“Today felt like the first day (of practice) officially to be honest,” Ayton later said. “We really competed. Although we’ve been going three days in a row, today felt like we really went after it because I’m really tired. I’m really sore now. We definitely went after it today. We competed. We went over our new offense so. Just fun to really get back to this stuff and be ready to be coachable.”
So real, even Jevon Carter, who is embraces work, was tired after Saturday’s practice.
“I was exhausted,” Carter laughed. “Running up and down. Going hard like we did. Just energized to be out there. Wore myself out.”
Kelly Oubre Jr. injury update
Williams provided an update on Kelly Oubre Jr., (knee) who according to earlier reports was looking to opt out of playing in the NBA restart, but General Manager James Jones said Monday the team’s third-leading scorer may return before Suns leave Orlando.
“Kelly’s doing fine,” Williams said. “He’s rehabbing. He does a little bit of court work, but for the most part, he’s on the side rehabbing and trying to get himself in tip-top (shape). He’s in good shape, but he’s not in the type of game shape that he wants to be in.”
Oubre was averaging a career-high 18.7 points a game before suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery March 3.
“He’s healthy,” Williams continued. “He looks great. His body looks great. He’s got his bounce. He’s running the floor with us, shooting the ball and then he’ll move off to the side and get some work done with our training staff. So from that standpoint, he looks really good. His body looks good. Kelly’s a freak athlete. That’s not something we worry about.”